Durban International Film Festival 2019 Winners – LES MISÉRABLES and FOR SAMA Win Top Prizes

July 24, 2019

Nicole Schafer, director of Buddha in Africa accepts her award for Best South African Documentary at the 40th Durban International Film Festival

The 40th Durban International Film Festival announced its winner at its awards ceremony with Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly, winning Best Feature Film, and Back of the Moon directed by Angus Gibson winning for Best South African Feature Film.

The award for Best Documentary went to For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab; and the prize for Best South African Documentary went to Buddha in Africa directed by Nicole Schafer. For Sama also won the Best Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award. DIFF is included as a Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences. This means that both the winners of the Best Documentary For Sama and Best SA Documentary Buddha in Africa, automatically qualify for consideration for an Oscar nomination.

Best Actor: Bongile Mantsai for Knuckle City directed by Jahmil X T Qubeka

Best Actress: Nisrin Erradi for Adam directed by Maryam Touzani

FOR SAMA. Waad, Hamza and Sama look at graffiti they painted on a bombed-out building, protesting against the forced exile of the civilian population of east Aleppo by forces of the Syrian regime and their Russian and Iranian allies, December 2016. Courtesy of Channel 4, Copyright Waad al-Kateab.

Best Documentary:For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab.

Best South African Documentary:Buddha in Africa directed by Nicole Schafer.

Best Direction:Divine Love directed by Gabriel Mascaro

Best South African Feature Film:Back of the Moon directed by Angus Gibson.